Sterilizing and preserving apparatus.



N. J. DARDEN.

STERILIZING AND PRESERVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 15, 1912.

1,083,731 Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

v l/VVE/VTOR Mew/row 1/. 0/1/4 05,

momma COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINGTON. D. C

.NEWTON J.

DARDEN, 0F MEMPHIS,

TENNESSEE.

STERILIZING AND PRESERVING APPARATUS.

Application filed October 15, 1912.

and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device by means of whicharticles which are to be preserved may have the surrounding air removedand replaced by a fluid sterilizing medium, such as ozonated air,carbonic acid gas, etc, and in which the articles so treated may besealed hermetically, so as to prevent the spoiling or decaying of thearticles so treated.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device for insuring thethorough sterilization of all parts of the articles to be preserved byproviding means for passing a current of sterilizing fluid first in onedirection through the articles and then in the reverse direction.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby thearticles to be sterilized or preserved may be treated with fluid underconsiderable pressure until thorough sterilization has taken place, whensuch pressure may be relieved in such a manner as to cause thesterilization medium to pass away from the articles by a different path,thus insuring the complete permeation of the sterilization fluid throughthe substances to be treated.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part ofthis application in which- Figure 1 is a central vertical sectionthrough the device, Fig. 2 is a side view of a modified form of thedevice, certain parts being shown in section, Fig. 3 is a view ofanother modified form of the device, Fig. 4 shows a detail constructionof the vessel closure for the receptacle in which the articles are to betreated, Fig. 5 is a sectional view.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 6, 1914.

Serial No. 725,903.

having threaded sockets 3 arranged to receive bolts 4 for securing thetop 5 to the receptacle. The top 5 has a central opening 5' arranged toreceive a tube 6, which is threaded externally and internally. Thebottom portion of this tube has laterally extending branches such asthose shown at 7 and 8. The tube is provided with a shoulder 9 whichengages the under side of the top 5 to which it is firmly held by meansof a nut 10. Each of the tubes 7 and 8 is provided with a cut-ofl valve11 having a valve stem 12 which extends through the top and is providedwith a suitable stufling box 13. An inner tube 14 is provided, whichextends around the interior of the receptacle. This tube is providedwith perforations 14 in its bottom as clearly shown in the drawings. InFig. 1 I have shown a central tube 15, which is screwed into the end ofthe tube 6, and which is provided with perforations in its sides, asshown at 15*. The bottom 1 of the receptacle 1 may also be provided witha tube 6 similar to the tube 6, and with a nut 10 for holding the tubein place. The laterally extending branches 7 and 8' are similar to thebranches 7 and 8 already described and the valves 11 are similar to thevalves 11. The bottom portion of the receptacle is also provided with acircular tube 14: having perforations 14 on its upper surface,

In Fig. 1, I have shown a portion of the device which is used with areceptacle for the purpose of exhausting the air from within thereceptacle for permitting the passage of sterilizing fluid and forsealing the receptacle. The sealing feature forms no part of the presentinvention, being fully described and claimed in a copending application,and I have only shown enough of the apparatus to explain the operationof the device which forms the subject of the present invention. It willbe sufficient to state that a chamber 16 is provided which is arrangedto fit centrally over the end of the tube 6, a gasket 16 eflectuallysealing the chamber.

The pipe 17 leads to a suction pump (not shown) or other similar devicefor exhausting air while a pipe 18 leads to a source of ozonated air orother antiseptic fluid. At 19 I have shown a rod which may be fastenedto a plug 20. This is disposed just above the tube 6 and may be screwedintothe latter for sealing the contents of the receptacle, as explainedlater.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device theoperation thereof may be readily understood. The receptacle is filled byunscrewing the bolts 4 and removing the top 5 (it being understood thatthe part of the apparatus which contains the chamber 16 has previouslybeen removed). If the articles to be treated are such as will not permitthe passage of fluids readily between them when they are disposed in thecan then the device as illustrated in Fig. 1 is used. Thus garden seeds,cereals, etc., may be placed in the receptacle in bulk so as tosubstantially fill the receptacle. The lower valves 11 may now be turnedso as to shut off communication between the interior of the receptacleand the tube 6. The valve 17 of the pipe 17 is now opened, while thevalve 18 of the pipe 18 is closed. Exhaustion takes place through thepipe 17 and the air aroundthe articles is conveyed away. When this hasproceeded far enough then the valve 17 of the pipe 17 may be closed andthe valve 18 of the pipe 18 may be opened, thus admitting ozonated airor other antiseptic fluid. The valves 12 may now be closed and theozonated air or other sterilizing fluid may pass down through thecentral tube and through the seed, If necessary the sterilizing fluidmay be put under pressure, so as to permeate all of the goods to betreated. Or the valves 12 may be opened, thus causing apassage of thesterilizing fluid from the center outwardly and downwardly. If it isdesirable the pipe 6 may communicate with a chamber similar to thatshown at 16 and having pipes similar to 17 and 18 for either admittingozonated air or other sterilizing fluid, or permitting the passage ofthe air out of the chamber. Thus the sterilizing fluid may be passedbackwardly and forwardly through the receptacle. When it is passed intothe pipe 6, it is desirable to turn the valve so as to permit thepassage of the fluid inthe manner shown by the arrows. The valve 17 inthe pipe 17 is then opened, while the valves 11 are shut. This forcesthe sterilizing air through the seed in the opposite direction to thatin which it was first introduced. When the seed has been thoroughlysterilized the valves 11' and 12 are closed and the rod 19 is loweredwith the plug 20, the latter being screwed into the opening in the pipe6. The

rod 19 is drawn upwardly free from theplug 20 and the chamber 16 maythen be removed.

In order to effectually seal the device I may provide a resilient gasketsuch as that shown at 21 in Fig. 4, this gasket being made of rubber orany other suitable material. A plug 22 may be screwed into the top 6, soas to force the gasket against the plug 20, thus securely sealing thereceptacle at the upper end. The lower end, which, as stated above, hasbeen shut off by means of the valves 11, may now be provided withclosures like that shown in Fig. 4. After this the valves 11 and 11 maybe opened but the closures in the tubes 6 and 6 will efl'ectuallyssealthe receptacle.

Instead of leaving the sterilizing fluid in the can it may be displacedby an inert gas such as nitrogen, before the sealing opera-- tion takesplace.

In some cases it is desirable to use the top 5 with an ordinaryreceptacle, such as a glass or tin can. In Fig. 2 I have shown the top 5as secured by means of bolts 1 to abase strip 24. In this form of thedevice there is, of course, no inlet in the bottom of the can. Insterilizing a substance such as a liquid with a can of this form, Iprovide a central tube 15 having perforations 15 near the bottom. Thevalves 11 may be closed when the sterilizing gas is forced in throughthe central tube 15, thus preventing the escape of the gas. The pressuremay be considerable. If now the tube 1.5 is disconnected from the supplyof gas and the valves 11 11 are opened then the gas pressure will beforced out through the valves, the liquid itself forming an eflectualseal for preventing the passage of the gas back through the centraltube. Thus the gas will be compelled to traverse the liquid from theperforations inthe bottom of the tube up through the liquid and outthrough the valves.

In some instances, it is desirable to pass the gas in a continuousstream from the center outward, and I may use a construction like thatshown in Fig. 3 in which the central tube 15 is provided havingcommunication with the lower tube 6, while the upper tube 6 has nocentral tube. In this form the gas will pass through the central tube,out through the articles to be sterilized, and through the tube 6 by wayof the valves 11 or by the reverse path, as explained above.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modified form of closure in which the tube 6 isscrewed onto an integral extension7 of the branch pipes and 8. The plug20 is designed to enter the interior of this extension. The gasket 21 isheld by the plug 22 firmly upon the plug 20, but the end of theextension 7 forms an additional seat for the gasket. In this form of thedevice I have shown a plug 30 inserted in the opening at the junction ofthe pipes 7 and 8 instead of the pipe 15, for in some instances it is desirable not to use the pipe 15. Instead of using this form of closure, Imay use one like that shown in Fig. 6 in which the tube 6 is thin enoughto be crimped over a metal cap 27, which bears on its under side aresilient layer 28, this layer resting on the plug 20. In all of theseforms of closures, it will be observed that there is a bottom plug whichis designed to be screwed into the tube next to which there is aresilient member held by a metal cap or plug against the first namedplug. This insures absolutely the hermetical sealing of the can.

I claim:

1. The combination with a receptacle, of a top therefor arranged to besecured to the receptacle, said top being provided with a centralopening, a tube arranged to extend through said central opening, saidtube being threaded internally, a screw plug arranged to enter saidtube, a sealing member disposed within said tube in contact with saidplug, and a cap for holding said sealing member against said plug.

2. The combination with a receptacle, of a top therefor arranged to besecured to the receptacle, said top being provided with a centralopening, a tube arranged to extend through said central opening, saidtube being threaded internally, a screw plug arranged to enter saidtube, a sealing member disposed within said tube in contact with saidplug, and a second screw plug arranged to enter the tube and to holdsaid sealing member against said first named plug.

3. The combination with a receptacle, of a top therefor provided with acentral opening, means for securing said top to said receptacle, a tubearranged to pass through said central opening, means for securing saidtube to said top, a laterally extending pipe communicating with saidtube, a perforated pipe extending around the interior of the receptacleadjacent to the side walls thereof and having communication with saidlaterally extending pipe, and a valve for said laterally extending pipehaving a valve stem arranged to extend through said top.

4. The combination with a receptacle, of a top therefor provided with acentral opening, means for securing said top to said receptacle, a tubearranged to pass through said central opening, means for securing saidtube to said top, laterally extending pipes disposed within thereceptacle and arranged to communicate with said tube, a perforated pipearranged to communicate with said laterally extending pipes at the endsthereof, said perforated pipe being disposed within the receptacle nearthe side walls thereof, and a valve for each of said laterally extendingpipes for cutting off a top therefor provided with a central opening,means for securing said top to said re ceptacle, a tube arranged to passthrough said central opening, means for securing said tube to said top,laterally extending pipes disposed within the receptacle and arranged tocommunicate with said tube, a perforated pipe arranged to communicatewith said laterally extending pipes at the ends thereof, said perforatedpipe being disposed within the receptacle near the side walls thereof, avalve for each of said later ally extending pipes for cutting oftcommunication between said perforated pipe and the central tube, and aperforated pipe extending centrally through said receptacle and havingcommunication with said central tube.

6. The combination with a receptacle top having a central opening, of acentral tube arranged to extend through said central opening, said tubebeing provided with a shoulder arranged to engage the under side of thetop, a nut disposed on the opposite side of said top from the shoulderfor securing the tube to the top, a screw plug arranged to be insertedin said tube, a gasket disposed adjacent to said screw plug, and asecond screw plug arranged to enter said tube for holding said gasketupon said first named plug.

7. The combination with a receptacle, of a top therefor having an inlettube, a pipe disposed centrally of the receptacle and communicating withsaid inlet tube, a perforated tube disposed within the receptacle nearthe walls thereof, and means for cutting off communication between saidinlet and said perforated tube.

8. The combination with a receptacle, of a plurality of openingstherein, a tube disposed in each opening, said tubes being arranged forthe inlet or outlet of fluid, perforated pipes disposed within thereceptacle near the-side walls thereof, each of said perforated pipeshaving communication with one of said tubes, and means for cutting offcommunication between each perforated pipe and its individual tube.

9. The combination with a receptacle, of a plurality of openingstherein, a tube disposed in each opening, said tubes being ar ranged forthe inlet or outlet of fluid, perforated pipes disposed within thereceptacle near the side walls thereof, laterally extending pipesestablishing communication between said perforated pipes and said tubes,and a cut-off valve in each of said laterally extending pipes.

10. The combination with a receptacle, of a top therefor arranged to besecured to the receptacle, said top being provided with an opening, atube arranged to extend through the opening, said tube being threadedinternally, a screw plug arranged to enter said tube, a sealing memberdisposed Within said the opening, a closure arranged to enter said tube,means carried by the tube for limiting the movement of the closure, asealing member disposed Within the tube in contact With said closure,and means carried by said tube for holding said sealing member againstsaid closure.

NEWTON J. DARDEN.

Witnesses:

L. A. STANLEY, SOLON C. KEMON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

